Drinking spirits in the daytime is largely a thing of the past for me, but a vodka cocktail at 11am suddenly feels like an excellent idea on the Rocky Mountaineer. Time seems to move at a different tempo on a long-distance train journey – you can’t get off, so leaning into a slower pace and partaking in a little of what you fancy is arguably the most prudent course of action. And if it’s indulgence you’re seeking, coupled with some of North America’s finest landscapes, this two-day rail route from Canada’s British Columbia to Alberta really is the pinnacle of luxurious slow travel.
My train departs Vancouver early in the morning to blue skies and blazing sunshine. As part of the Rocky Mountaineer service, I leave my bulging suitcase in my hotel room; the next time I see it is in Kamloops, the arid crossroads city where passengers spend the night after their first day on the train. Our final destination is Jasper, the rugged alpine town in Alberta, where we expect to arrive early evening the following day. There are no other stops along the way, so it’s a case of settling in and getting comfortable.
